Strawberry's New Life
by SilverKiwii
Summary: Aizen hits Ichigo with kido of his own making, intending to kill him. Instead, Ichigo is severely wounded, cut off from his living body, and mysteriously turned into a girl. Unable to return to Karakura, Yamamoto decides to adopt Ichigo as his daughter. Ichigo must learn to be a proper Lady and daughter as well as shinigami. Eventual Juushiro/Ichigo
1. Prologue: The Game Changes

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I profit from Bleach.

"Strawberry's New Life"

Prologue: The Game Changes

Aizen Sousuke stood upon Sokyoku Hill, frozen between Division Two Captain Soi Fon, with her Suzumebachi stinging against his neck, and the Goddess of Flash, Shihoin Yuroichi, whose blade bit into his abdomen. His two subordinates stood close by assessing the situation.

"Well, that was flashy," Ichimaru Gin mused. "I wonder what I should do?"

However, before he could move, a hand captured his wrist as a familiar zanpakuto was pressed to his throat.

"You shouldn't even move," Matsumoto Rangiku hissed as Hisage Shuhei immobilized Tousen and the remainder of the shinigami captains and vice-captains arrived. Gin's eyes softened slightly before he called out in a teasing voice.

"Sorry, Captain Aizen, I got caught!"

Turning the attention back to the traitorous former captain, Yuroichi addressed him.

"This is the end," she began.

"What?" Aizen interrupted. "Did you say something?"

"Don't you understand, Aizen?" the werecat narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "There is no place left for you, no place for you to escape. It's over, Aizen."

Sousuke glanced down at the woman before him, then around to the captains and vice-captains (and the ryoka brats, he noted) that had gathered. He let out a small chuckle.

"Heh."

"And just what's so funny?" Yuroichi snapped.

"I'm sorry to do this," he began, decidedly not apologetic at all, "but the time has come."

Yuroichi's eyes widened in surprise as a bright, yellow light began to surround Aizen. As she cried out for Soi Fon to get away, a vivid orange blur streaked by. Before she could yell for Ichigo to stop, the teenager was surrounded by darkness and a horrible scream tore through the air.

The darkness disappeared as quickly as it came, revealing Ichigo, covered in blood. The young man coughed once, then, fell to his knees as Aizen looked on in dark amusement.

"That was one of my own creations," he explained. "It was meant to bring instant death to those I use the technique on, though you have proved to be quite strong. Do not worry, you shall be dead soon enough."

Several shinigami rushed past the injured teen towards Aizen.

"STOP!" shouted Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

Everyone froze immediately, listening as the Captain-Commander could no longer be touched, or indeed themselves attack, as they ascended through the air towards the Menos Grande filled Gargantua above. Ichigo struggled to keep consciousness and stand as Aizen spoke to them one last time.

"Good-bye shinigami, and, good-bye ryoka boy. Even I have to admit that, for a human, you were quite amusing."

Ichigo's vision finally faded as he collapsed into Yuroichi's arms as the Gargantua closed, leaving no trace of the traitors.

Captain Unohana was organizing her division to aid the injured when Yuroichi urgently summoned her over to the ryoka boy's side. When Urahara Kisuke appeared with Isshin, everyone knew that the situation just became even more complicated.

~End Prologue~

Thank you for giving my *very first published* story a chance. I am truly hoping that this isn't the final title for it, I'm just not good at coming up with titles until the work is nearly complete. If you have a suggestion, please do not hesitate to let me know. Constructive criticism is appreciated, flames are not. I am always looking for ways to improve myself. Another quick thing to mention: Updates will most likely not be regular. I am a single mother to 2 children (a four year old with Celiac's and a one year old who's dairy intolerant), a part time college student, and my health currently is not the best. So my hands are pretty full. I do promise that this project of mine will not be abandoned. I've sat on this story idea for at least 2 years.


	2. Chapter One: The Aftermath

Disclaimer: I still do not own Bleach, nor profit off of it. Perhaps someday Kubo-san will lend me Juushiro for the day...

"Strawberry's New Life"

Chapter One: the Aftermath

A stunned silence hung over those left standing upon Sokyuko Hill, gazing at the place where the three traitors had disappeared. Then all at once, the trance ended as the quiet was broken by the eruption of activity.

Yuroichi gently lowered Ichigo to the ground and quickly signaled for Orihime to aid her. Though the teen's external wounds were terrible, they were not the most serious of his problems. Yuroichi frowned, whatever technique Aizen had used had done a number on Ichigo internally. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was even still alive and spoke volumes on the strength the boy possessed. Sighing heavily, the shunpo master motioned for the girl to begin on his exterior wounds while she focused her healing kido on his shredded interior.

Unohana Retsu skillfully directed the Fourth Division to tend to the injured shinigami, while she personally saw to Captain Kuchiki's wounds. Having treated the most serious of his cuts, she had her lieutenant take over while she made rounds. Glancing over at the small group surrounding Ichigo, the gentle captain decided that Yuroichi and the ryoka girl had the boy's healing under control and moved on. Seeing that most of the injured had been moved to Squad Four barracks for recovery and arrangements had been made for the few that remained, Unohana began to make her way towards the Head Captain to make her report.

Yuroichi and Orihime did have Ichigo's wounds under control, just as Unohana Retsu had observed, but suddenly his body stiffened before beginning to convulse. The werecat's eyes widened in shock and poor Orihime looked terrified. Neither woman could find an explanation for this sudden reaction; both his external wounds had been closed and, the internal bleeding had stopped. Could Aizen's "death kido" possibly have another function? Yuroichi did the only thing that she could think of.

"Captain Unohana over here, please!"

Hearing the summons, the captain of the fourth division rushed to the seizing teenager. A frown marring her gentle features, she attempted to find what was causing the boy so much pain. Unable to discern anything, she quickly cast a calming kido then, turned to face his anxious friends.

"I'm very sorry Yuroichi-san, but I cannot see anything at the moment. I do, however, wish to move him to a room in my squad barracks for further observation."

Yuroichi nodded in understanding and turned, preparing to transport Ichigo when she felt two new presences join them. She turned to come face to face with a grim Urahara and mournful Isshin.

"Kisuke?" she questioned.

"We have a problem," he answered quietly as Isshin bent down to gather his son into his arms, then followed Unohana away.

Yuroichi raised an eyebrow, "You mean more than three traitors who stole the Hogyoku, then escaped to Hueco Mundo? Does this have anything to do with Ichigo?" Kisuke nodded as she turned to watch the disappearing figure of Isshin.

"He won't be able to return home. Yuroichi, what happened?"

Kurosaki Isshin carefully deposited Ichigo onto the bed that Unohana led him to, then stepped back and tried to process all he had been told as she examined his son once again. He ran his hand through his hair and fought back a bitter sob. He had known that Ichigo had gotten involved in the life of a shinigami when Rukia appeared, he didn't even question when he left for the Soul Society to rescue his friend. He never in a million years would have thought that his son would never be able to return home. Aizen was a dead man just as soon as Isshin could catch him. The elder Kurosaki was shaken from his musings when Unohana stood up quickly.

"His body is changing," she informed him. "I'm not yet sure how or why, or even if I can stop it, but I assure you, I will do all I can to figure it out."

Isshin nodded to show that he understood, and Unohana left to give him some privacy. After some time, he ruffled his sleeping son's hair then left to find Captain-Commander Yamamoto. He had a favor to ask him.

~End Chapter One~

I apologize for the long wait in updating. I had half of the chapter written out for quite some time, but unfortunately life decided to become difficult for a while. I have since gotten over whatever it was that I had, only to come down with pneumonia. My four year old is currently fighting his second bout of pneumonia in a month, and my 15 month old is cluster teething (molars-the slowest effing things ever) on top of having a cold. But good news: I managed to pull a solid B in my Algebra class. Math is not a strength of mine. I will try to have the next chapter in a timely fashion.

And a big huge Thank You to all my reviewers, followers, and favourites. Wow, I didn't expect that, and I am very greatful that my story seems to have caught some interest.

As always, constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated. ~Kiwii


End file.
